Subject:The Pretenders

Is anybody else here a fan? I love their jangly but not too perky '80s style guitar pop that's almost reminiscent of the '50s and '60s in its golden classicism. Where would you put them, genre wise?

Actually, alot of '80s music I feel is intended to evoke the '50s-early '60s mood by subject matter, if not musically (Bruce Springsteen, "Jack and Diane", etc.)

Subject:Re: The Pretenders

Written By:Marty McFlyon07/10/06 at 1:28 am

Yeah, they do have sort of a cross of a '50s/60s pop sound with '70s hard rock/punk (like a more raw Blondie or Pat Benatar).

My fave song of theirs growing up was "Don't Get Me Wrong" (still is too ;) ), which really has that "smoothed out pop/rock" sound c. 1987, but isn't that representative of their whole sound. Out of their heavier songs, I like "Middle Of the Road" and "Watching the Clothes" off Learning to Crawl.

Subject:Re: The Pretenders

Written By:velvetoneoon07/10/06 at 1:32 am

Yeah, they do have sort of a cross of a '50s/60s pop sound with '70s hard rock/punk (like a more raw Blondie or Pat Benatar).

My fave song of theirs growing up was "Don't Get Me Wrong" (still is too ;) ), which really has that "smoothed out pop/rock" sound c. 1987, but isn't that representative of their whole sound. Out of their heavier songs, I like "Middle Of the Road" and "Watching the Clothes" off Learning to Crawl.

I love the song "Brass in Pocket"...it's a great "motivational" song.

Do you see what I'm saying about how '80s music more evoked '50s and '60s pop than directly copying it, the same way that emo, hipster rock, and glam R&B/rap evokes the new wave/John Hughes/Miami Vice/high-tech new wave fashion part of the '80s as opposed to directly copying it?

Subject:Re: The Pretenders

Written By:Marty McFlyon07/10/06 at 2:19 am

I love the song "Brass in Pocket"...it's a great "motivational" song.

Do you see what I'm saying about how '80s music more evoked '50s and '60s pop than directly copying it, the same way that emo, hipster rock, and glam R&B/rap evokes the new wave/John Hughes/Miami Vice/high-tech new wave fashion part of the '80s as opposed to directly copying it?

Yeah, like 80s music used its influences, but also was something new at the same time. Even the most "50slike" 80s songs, like "Rock This Town", The Honeydrippers' "Sea of Love" or Billy Joel's "Leave a Tender Moment Alone" sounded like they actually came from the '80s and was just heavily inspired by the '50s/pre 1967 60s.

Subject:PRETENDERS BEING HONORED!

Written By:HotShot123on07/14/06 at 10:47 am

So I just found out that the Pretenders are going to be honored at the Decades Rock Live concert at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City on August 11th. I think tickets are on sale now and some other bands are going to be there too. SO EXCITED!

Subject:Re: PRETENDERS BEING HONORED!

Written By:velvetoneoon07/14/06 at 10:56 am

So I just found out that the Pretenders are going to be honored at the Decades Rock Live concert at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City on August 11th. I think tickets are on sale now and some other bands are going to be there too. SO EXCITED!